Mystagogy has long been known as a catechesis to help the newly initiated deepen their understanding of sacramental experiences. In the ancient world, mystagogy was the way in which elders, that is mystagogues, helped candidates to identify and reflect on the hidden mysteries within their experience and the practices of their community.…

This book examines and reports the findings regarding the level of satisfaction by students, teachers and parents with an innovative senior secondary Religious Education curriculum 'Religion, Meaning and Life' (RML). The stimulus for RML is found in the changing profile of students within faith-based schools and the motivation of school…

In this opening lecture for the 2022 Budapest Conference on "Building Community in Fractured Societies: Challenges for Christians in Higher Education," an overview is given of recent societal developments, (geo-) political, economic, ecological, sociological, psychological, and spiritual. A basic framework is presented on how to analyze…

Scripture encourages parents to pass on faith to children, and a multitude of studies show that the biggest predictor of the faith of kids is the faith of their parents. However, raising kids in faith is more complicated and nuanced than simple "parent to child" religious transmission. In this paper, animal family models are used to…

This article seeks to engage the often-overlooked voices of mothers and daughters in the face of patriarchal dominance. Conversations between mothers and daughters are important spaces for the exploration of faith experiences and provide transformative power. Through these conversations, the practice of story-linking comes to life, enabling…

The importance of key legislation in framing religious education in England is widely assumed, and indeed some argue that these Acts -- of 1870, 1944 and 1988 -- demarcate pedagogical phases, or paradigms. Policy and historical analyses have revealed the political and social disputes around legislation, but often conflate legislation with other…

The Bible tells keeners to teach lament to a faith community and to the daughters of the community when evil and injustice are rampant. This intriguing demand draws the attention of the faith community to how lament works and how it can become a community practice to deal with suffering. This study specifically challenges the adequacy of the…

This project sought to equip churches to disciple college students who participate at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry in Tallahassee, Florida. Chapter 1 provides the context and background of college ministry in Tallahassee, Florida, as well the rationale, purpose, goals, and research methodology. Chapter 2 provides exegesis of four passages of…

Religious education is queer. At first, it may seem as if "queer" and "religious education" barely belong in the same sentence; however, a fresh look at the definition of queer within the current understanding of religious education reveals a deep connection. Playing on the historical question of Harrison Elliott, "Can…

This article introduces the category of spiritual intelligence (SI) as a vital way for religious education to cultivate knowledge and practical wisdom. SI fosters human interconnectedness and promotes a sense of belonging for learners. It helps strengthen learners' identities and creates a just learning environment. The article proposes a version…

Despite extensive research regarding the application of Transformative Learning Theory in adult education, there is very little literature promoting applying these principles and practices within Christian Worship Studies. Transformative Learning Theory is an educational theory that researches and promotes perspective-changing teaching and…

First-Year Seminars (FYS) are a high-impact practice (Keup & Young, 2018; Skipper, 2017). However, outcomes of pedagogical approaches linked to those seminars have not been as well researched. An expectation of Christian higher education is to consider what kind of spiritual and personal formation is happening through classroom assignments and…

I have the rewarding experience of being an administrator operating out of a denominational leadership role in Christian education. I have served in this role concurrently for over a decade as a full-time professor of Christian education at a seminary. In this autobiographical reflection, I discuss how I define my roles in the church and academy…

Educators at religious preK-12 schools attempt to integrate their faith into their teaching. Yet there is limited empirical study about how faith integration self-efficacy may develop. This study examines the relationships between the faith integration self-efficacy of educators at Mennonite preK-12 schools and their past educational experiences…

Perceptions about remote theological education inevitably cluster around questions of embodiment, community, and unity. The letters of the apostle Paul have quite a bit to say about these themes. This essay examines Paul's treatment of distance in the formation and education of Christians, focused around the image of the "body of Christ"…